Space divider

ABSTRACT

A space divider is provided which is formed from a single blank of sheet material. The divider is adapted to be used in combination with a container wherein the interior thereof is formed into a plurality of contiguous compartments. The divider will be automatically set up for disposition within the container by a simple folding manipulation.

United States Patent [1 1 Nederveld SPACE DIVIDER [75] Inventor: Terrill L. Nederveld, Neffsville, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Packaging Corporation of America,

Evanston, Ill.

[22] Filed: May 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 252,600

UNITED STATES PATENTS [111 3,738,561 June 12, 1973 Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Att0rneyAlbert H. Pendleton, Sidney Neuman, Arthur A. Olson et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A space divider is provided which is formed from a single blank of sheet material. The divider is adapted to be used in combination with a container wherein the interior thereof is formed into a plurality of contiguous compartments. The divider will be automatically set up Boeye for-disposition the ontainer a simple 2,013,240 9/1935 7 Harvey 229/15 x manipulation 2,475,107 7/1949 Newsom 229/15 10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 23 L? if 2 54 30 11c 30 22a 22 25 L 27 2 3 w 26 3L4 a -e4 15m gr 32c. 320 33a #33 ""(T fi-=4 .5 /2 I 'TII L QT 22 Patented June 12, 1973 1 SPACE DIVIDER BACKGROUND OE THE INVENTION Various space dividers for compartmenting the interior of shipping containers or the like have heretofore been proposed; however, such dividers have been beset with one or more of the following shortcomings: (a) they were of complex design and utilized a plurality of component parts; (b) they were awkward to assemble and oftentimes became disassembled when being positioned within a container; (c) they were of flimsy construction and ineffective in maintaining the accommodated products in segregated relation within the container even when the latter was subjected to normal handling during shipment; and (d) they did not provide effective re-enforcement for the loaded container.

SUMMARY OF TH INVENTION Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a space divider which is of simple, inexpensive one-piece construction, and is capable of being readily set up by a simple manual or mechanical manipulation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a blank for an improved space divider which may be formed on conventional high-speed scoring, slotting, and cutting equipment with a minimal amount of material waste.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved space divider which assumes a thin, flat condition when in a collapsed state. I

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an improved space divider wherein the walls thereof may extend the full height of the container in which said divider is disposed and thus enhance the top-tobottom strength of the container.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompnaying drawings, and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a space divider is provided which is formed from a single blank of sheet material and is adpated to be disposed within the interior of a shipping container or the like. The divider includes a pair of bottom panels which are adapted to overlie the bottom of the container.

The bottom panels are separated from one another by an upright, transversely extending partition panel. The partition panel also separates pairs of side panels which are foldably connected to opposite peripheral portions of the bottom panels. The side panels, which are disposed on the corresponding peripheral segments of the bottom panels, are interconnected by connecting panels. Each connecting panel is formed of a pair of foldably connected sections. One section is foldably connected to one side panel and is separated from the partition panel by a cut. The second section is foldably connected to a side panel disposed on the opposite side of the partition panel. In addition, the second section is connected to the partition panel by a substantially diagonally extending foldline. The sections of each connecting panel are folded realtive to one another so as to sandwich therebetween a portion of the partition panel.

DESCRIPTION For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank for one form of the improved space divider.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 in a partial set-up condition.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the blank of FIG. 1 in a fully set-up condition.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of one form of the improved space divider shown assembled within a shipping container, the latter being outlined in dash-dot lines.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 4, one form of the improved space divider 10 is shown disposed within the interior of a conventional shipping container 11, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the space divider 1 0 cooperates with the walls of the container to form six compartments I-VI of substantially like configuration. Modifications of the basic divider design will be described more fully hereinafter wherein the number of compartments can be increased by increments of three.

The improved divider 10 is formed from a single blank 12 of suitable sheet material such as, for example, double-faced corrugated fiberboard. As seen in FIG. 1, the blank 12 has a substantially rectangular configuration and may be readily formed by highspeed, automatic cutting, scoring, and slotting machinery with but a minimum of material waste being produced. Blank 12 includes a centrally disposed partition panel 13, a first bottom panel 14, a second bottom panel 15, a pair of first side panels 16 and 17, and a pair of second side panels 18 and 20. The first side panels 16 and 17 are foldably connected to opposite peripheral segments of the first bottom panel 14 and in a like manner, the second side panels 18 and 20 are foldably connected to the second bottom panel 15. When the blank is set up to form the divider, the panels 14, 16, and 17 are separated from panels 15, 18, and 20 by the partition panel 13, see FIGS. 3 and 4. As seen in FIG. 1, blank 12 also includes a pair of connecting panels 21 and 22 which are disposed on opposite sides of panel 13. Each connecting panel 21 or 22 includes a pair of foldable sections 21a-21b and 22a-22b. Sections 21a and 22a are of like configuration and each has a peripheral segment thereof connected by a foldline 23 or 24 to the adjacent first side panel 16 or 17. Each foldline 23 or 24 may be interrupted by an elongated slit 23a or 24a or other suitable means, thereby reducing the folding resistance and thus facilitating setting up of the blank. A portion of the opposite peripheral segment of section 21a or 22a is connected to the respective section 21b or 22 b by a foreshortenecl foldline 25 or 26. The remainder of the peripheral segment of section 21a or 22a, which is aligned with foldline 25 or 26, is separated by slits 27 and 28 from adjacent shoulders 13a and 13b formed on the partition panel 13. The inner peripheral segment of each section 21a and 22a is separated from the center portion 310 of the partition panel 13 by slits 30. A gap 31 is formed between the end edge of the panel center portion 13c and! first bottom panel Each of the second sections 21b and 22b of the connecting panels 21 and 22 has a peripheral segment thereof connected by a foldline 32 or 33 to the adjacent second side panel 18 or 20. As in the case of foldlines ,23 and 24, foldlines 32 and 33 may be interrupted by elongated slits 32a and 33a or other suitable means so as to reduce folding resistance. The inner peripheral segment of sections 21b and 22b are connected to the shoulders 13a and 13b, respectively, by diagonally extending foldlines 34 and 35. Foldline 34 interconnects the inner ends of foldlines 25 and 32, and foldline 35 interconnects the inner ends of foldlines 26 and 33.

The second bottom panel 15, in the illustrated blank, is connected by foldline 36 to the lower edge of the partition panel 13; such foldling connection, however, is not essential.

The blank 12 may be set up to form the divider by a simple manual folding manipulation, which is partially shown in FIG. 2. To set up the blank, the latter is grasped from the underside along the margin thereof in the vicinity of foldlines and 26. The thumbs of the hands are simultaneously pressed downwardly on the foldlines 25 and 26 causing the sections 21a-21b and 22a-22b to be folded inwardly. Simultaneous with the inward folding of the sections of the connecting panels, the side panels are folded to upright positions relative to the bottom panels 14 and 15. Because of the gap 31 and slits 27, 28, and 30, the partition panel 13 will automatically assume an upright position with the shoulder portions 13a and b of the partition panel becoming sandwiched between the folded sections of the connecting panels, see FIG. 3.

In order to return the space divider to a flat condition, as shown in FIG. 1, merely requires'the side panels to be folded outwardly relative to the bottom panels.

If, for example, three additional compartments are required to be formed in a container (a total of nine compartments), a modified blank, not shown, would be utilized which consists of the combination of a first blank section like that shown in FIG. 1 and a second blank section connected to the bottom edge of the first blank section. The second blank section would have a configuration similar to the first blank section, except that panels 16, 14, and 17 would be eliminated. Further modifications of the blank, shown in FIG. 1, may also be made by changing the size and shape of the various panels forming same.

Thus, it will be seen that a simple, compact, and unitary space divider has been provided which can be readily set up when required. The divider can be modified so as to be effectively used with a variety of containers, or the like.

I claim:

1. A space divider formed from a single blank of sheet material for use within the interior of a container, said divider comprising at least one bottom panel adapted to overlie the bottom of the container; an upright partition disposed transversely of said bottom panel; pairs of upright side panels, one pair being foldably connected to said bottom panel, corresponding side panels of said pairs being disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel and extending angularly therefrom; and connecting panels foldably interconnecting said corresponding side panels, each connecting panel having foldable sections, one section being foldably connected to one corresponding side panel, and a second section being foldably connected to a second corresponding side panel, said second section being connected to said partition panel by a diagonally extending foldline.

2. The space divider of claim 1 wherein the side panels of each pair are disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation.

3. The space divider of claim 2 wherein the corresponding side panels of said pairs of upright side panels are disposed in substantially coplanar relation.

4. The space divider of claim 1 wherein said partition panel is provided with laterally extending shoulder portions which are sandwiched between the sections of said connecting panels.

5. The space divider of claim 4 wherein said partition panel includes an upwardly projecting center portion wherein the upper edge thereof is substantially coterminous with the upper edges of said side panels.

6. The space divider of claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said partition panel is foldably connected to said bottom panel.

7. A blank of foldable sheet material adapted to form a space divider having bottom panels separated by a transversely extending upright partition panel, parallel side panels extending upright from the bottom panels and separated by said partition panel, and upright connecting panels interconnecting corresponding side panels disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel; said blank comprising a partition panel, a pair of bottom panels disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel, a pair of first side panels foldably connected to and extending laterally outwardly in opposite directions from one bottom panel, a pair of second side panels foldably connected to and extending laterally ouwardly in opposite directions from the second bottom panel, and a pair of connecting panels laterally disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel, each connecting panel interconnecting corresponding first and second side panels and being provided with foldably connected sections, one section of each connecting panel being connected to a peripheral segment of said partition panel by a substantially diagonally extending foldline.

8. The blank of claim 7 wherein one bottom panel is foldably connected to a peripheral segment of said partition panel.

9. The blank of claim 7 wherein said partition panel has an elongated center portion, a part of which is disposed between and separated from corresponding first sections of said connecting panels, and laterally extending shoulder portions connected to corresponding second sections of said connecting panels by substantially diagonally extending foldlines, said shoulders being separated from said first sections.

10. The blank of claim 9 wherein said blank has a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, and one of said bottom panels is foldably connected to a segment of the center portion of said partition panel disposed opposite the part thereof positioned between said corresponding first sections.

. t III l 

1. A space divider formed from a single blank of sheet material for use within the interior of a container, said divider comprising at least one bottom panel adapted to overlie the bottom of the container; an upright partition disposed transversely of said bottom panel; pairs of upright side panels, one pair being foldably connected to said bottom panel, corresponding side panels of said pairs being disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel and extending angularly therefrom; and connecting panels foldably interconnecting said corresponding side panels, each connecting panel having foldable sections, one section being foldably connected to one corresponding side panel, and a second section being foldably connected to a second corresponding side panel, said second section being connected to said partition panel by a diagonally extending foldline.
 2. The space divider of claim 1 wherein the side panels of each pair are disposed in spaced, substantially parallel relation.
 3. The space divider of claim 2 wherein the corresponding side panels of said pairs of upright side panels are disposed in substantially coplanar relation.
 4. The space divider of claim 1 wherein said partition panel is provided with laterally extending shoulder portions which are sandwiched between the sections of said connecting panels.
 5. The space divider of claim 4 wherein said partition panel includes an upwardly projecting center portion wherein the upper edge thereof is substantially coterminous with the upper edges of said side panels.
 6. The space divider of claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said partition panel is foldably connected to said bottom panel.
 7. A blank of foldable sheet material adapted to form a space divider having bottom panels separated by a transversely extending upright partition panel, parallel side panels extending upright from the bottom panels and separated by said partition panel, and upright connecting panels interconnecting corresponding side panels disposed oN opposite sides of said partition panel; said blank comprising a partition panel, a pair of bottom panels disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel, a pair of first side panels foldably connected to and extending laterally outwardly in opposite directions from one bottom panel, a pair of second side panels foldably connected to and extending laterally ouwardly in opposite directions from the second bottom panel, and a pair of connecting panels laterally disposed on opposite sides of said partition panel, each connecting panel interconnecting corresponding first and second side panels and being provided with foldably connected sections, one section of each connecting panel being connected to a peripheral segment of said partition panel by a substantially diagonally extending foldline.
 8. The blank of claim 7 wherein one bottom panel is foldably connected to a peripheral segment of said partition panel.
 9. The blank of claim 7 wherein said partition panel has an elongated center portion, a part of which is disposed between and separated from corresponding first sections of said connecting panels, and laterally extending shoulder portions connected to corresponding second sections of said connecting panels by substantially diagonally extending foldlines, said shoulders being separated from said first sections.
 10. The blank of claim 9 wherein said blank has a substantially rectangular peripheral configuration, and one of said bottom panels is foldably connected to a segment of the center portion of said partition panel disposed opposite the part thereof positioned between said corresponding first sections. 